Klattenhoff’s role is being kept under wraps, though he is expected to appear in the opening scene of the an epic actioner that pits invading monsters against robots.

Travis Beacham’s script is set in 2025, the 12th year of a war against alien creatures who reside in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Story finds a group of humans banding together to create and pilot massive robots to fight the giant creatures threatening to destroy Earth.

“Pacific Rim” is a co-production with Warner Bros., which will co-finance and distribute the pic on July 12, 2013.

Mary Parent is producing with Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni, as well as del Toro.

Klattenhoff was offered a role in “The Dark Knight Rises” but couldn’t accept due to a scheduling conflict with “Homeland.”